Business Essentials Package

What is Business Essentials?

Our most popular package is FSB Business Essentials which includes a whole range of benefits and products designed to make your business fly

What's included?

A suite of legal benefits including a dedicated helpline, bundled insurance products and a range of online information to keep your business safe. Plus a whole range of negotiated benefits to help save you money and win business.

How much does FSB membership cost?

We offer three packages to suit your business needs. Joining FSB Connect is free, our Business Essentials package starts at £172.50 in the first year and our specialist Business Creation package has a fixed price of £129.

Bank Branch Closures

The Issue

Since 1989, 53% of bank branches in the UK have closed. There are now less than 8,000 branches operating in the UK in 2017. Branch closures and reduced services are taking place across the UK but small firms in rural areas are particularly vulnerable to both financial and digital exclusion – a lack of broadband connectivity and digital skills prevent many from accessing alternative banking services online.

Branch closures present challenges that can only be addressed if small businesses are better understood and supported. Small businesses continue to rely on branches for services where face-to-face interaction is not easily replicated by alternative communication channels. There is also a continuing reliance on cash and cheques that remain rooted in the operations of both many small businesses and local economies across the UK.

Action FSB have taken

In March 2015, FSB along with a number of different stakeholder groups agreed an “Access to Banking” Protocol to support customers affected by closures and allow them to continue using alternative banking services at a local level.

In September 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority, an independent regulator, recommended more support for small firms affected by branch closures as part of its SME Banking Review.

In October 2016, FSB published a major new report, “Locked out: The impact of bank branch closures on small businesses,” which found that financial inclusion and small business productivity is being damaged by branch closures.

Our Goal

Improve small business awareness in the Access to Banking Protocol - The 12 week minimum period in which banks must notify customers before a branch is moved or closed should be extended to 24 weeks. In addition, limitations to alternative banking services should be clearly detailed by banks, who should also do more to communicate with the Post Office to ensure information signposting is accurate and up to date.

Improve banking providers’ data disclosure - FSB believes the limited level of data published by all banking providers on small businesses’ access to services, including levels of lending and branch usage, makes targeted interventions across the financial inclusion space extremely challenging.

Post Office needs to create a standardised service that matches the specific needs of businesses - All small businesses should be able to quickly transfer basic banking facilities to their nearest Post Office branch, including depositing both cash and cheques as well as accessing change.

Achievements in...

UK/Westminster

In September 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority, an independent regulator, recommended more support for small firms affected by branch closures as part of its SME Banking Review.

We briefed a large number of MPs ahead of a Westminster Hall Debate on bank branch closures.